Investigation of the Effect of Custom Medical Insoles on the Level of Pronation and Weight Distribution in Adolescent Students with FlatFoot

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Departmen of Sports Injuries and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

2 Department of Exercise Physiology, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran

3 Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

4 Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran

5 Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

6 Department of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercise, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Purpose:
Flat foot are among the most common musculoskeletal disorders in children and adolescents. The medial longitudinal arch of the foot plays a crucial role in regulating and evenly distributing body weight across the feet. This study aimed to investigate the effect of custom-made orthotic insoles on the degree of pronation and weight distribution in adolescent students with flat foot.
Methods:
This applied research employed a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design. Sixty male students diagnosed with flat feet were selected and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 30), who received custom-made orthotic insoles, or a control group (n = 30), who received no intervention. A foot scanner device capable of analyzing the center of gravity and weight distribution was used to diagnose flat feet. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and its non-parametric equivalent, Quade’s Nonparametric ANCOVA. Statistical analyses were conducted at a significance level using SPSS version 27 (p<0.05).
Results:
The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in pronation (P < 0.001) after eight weeks of using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) custom-made orthotic insoles in the intervention group compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in weight distribution between the right foot (P = 0.984) and the left foot (P = 0.965) across the two groups.
Conclusion:
Based on the results, custom-made CNC orthotic insoles significantly reduced pronation in individuals with flat feet. However, they did not lead to a significant improvement in weight distribution between the feet. Therefore, these insoles appear to be an effective intervention for correcting excessive pronation in adolescents with flat foot.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Paramedical Sciences & Rehabilitation
Volume 14, Issue 3
November 2025
Pages 18-28

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